Drops of Jupiter
by Songbird341
Summary: Drops of Jupiter songfic. Cabbie, Bade, and Tandre, as voted for.


**Drops of Jupiter Songfic**

_**(Cabbie/Bade/Tandre, as voted for.)**_

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, the couples, the song, or the singer.**

;*"*"*"*"*;

_Now she's back in the atmosphere,_

_with Drops of Jupiter in her hair_

_Hey, hey..._

* * *

Robbie waited nervously on a bench, next to a man who smelled of ravioli, in the middle of the airport. His hands shook on his lap, bouncing with the tapping of his feet. He glanced at his watch for what must've been the fifth time in a minute. He adjusted his glasses and exhaled anxiously, butterflies flooding his stomach. It would only be a matter of, very long, minutes before Cat Valentine walked off her plane and ran into his arms, just like old times.

But what would he say?

What would he do?

What if she'd forgotten him?

The questions drove him insane as he stared at his watch. _Tick. Tick. Tick. _He growled in frustration and forced his eyes away. She'd be here soon, and he'd laugh at himself for being so anxious after she threw her arms around his neck.

However, where he did or didn't look wasn't changing his crazed impatience. All he wanted was to see her again, hear her angelic voice again, hold her in his arms again...

"Robbie!"

His head shot up at the sound. _Is it her? It couldn't be!_

But it is. And all the waiting has paid off.

* * *

_He acts like summer and walks like rain_

_Reminds me that there's a time for change_

_Hey, hey..._

* * *

Jade wondered to herself as she watched Beck across the hall, _why on earth is he so beautiful?_

She could've kicked herself for thinking it; but kicking herself would hurt and attract attention, so she decided against it.

That morning was a particularly hard one for her; Beck had just asked a girl out. His first date since the break-up. Well, if you didn't count Tori, the man-stealing restless flirt of a girl that could hardly keep her hands and lips off Beck. Could she blame her, though?

They weren't dating anymore...

He was up for anyone...

Tori technically had every right to date Beck, honestly. Date Beck, kiss Beck, marry Beck... Jade couldn't stop the thoughts. Had she really _never_ realized that he was up for grabs? And who wouldn't want him now? Heck, girls even wanted him when Jade _was_ dating him! What was stopping them now?

Well, something had to be stopping them... Or else he would be married to every chick in California. Why had he been holding out, anyway?

_Oh, forget it Jade. He's not yours to ponder anymore._

_He's everyone's._

* * *

_And since her return from her stay on the moon_

_She listens like spring and talks like June_

_Hey, hey..._

* * *

Andre laughed as Tori Vega spoke to him, going on about her sister's crazy antics.

"I swear, it's true! And then she shows up the next morning with her face _covered_ in mustard! She told me she read..."

Andre stared at her as she spoke, blocking out the words and merely paying attention to her face. Her cheeks rose up in two perfect cheekbones, reminding him of sugarplums, oddly. Her lips pursed, then spread out in a grin, opening and closing, shaping the words she spoke in a crystal voice. Her eyes lit up and dimmed with her speech, expressing different emotions according to whatever she was saying.

_Gosh, _he said to himself. _I hope what she's saying isn't important. _He couldn't have recalled a single word if you'd asked him. He was just too taken with her.

_Stop it! _He scolded himself, forcing his attention span to resume its duty. _She's only a friend... only a friend._

He'd found himself in a similar situation before; Jade West was merely a friend as well. He'd been under the horrible impression that he was in love with her; something that, if progressed, would have harmed his relationship with Beck immensely. If it weren't for Tori, he would have left both his relationship with Beck and with Jade in shambles.

He was afraid that this would be the same case: a curiosity, not real love. Something that, if acted upon, would ruin his amazing friendship with Tori and leave them with awkward conversation and open-ends. He couldn't do that to her. He couldn't do that to _them_.

So what was he supposed to do, when all she did was sit there and look adorable?

* * *

_Tell me,_

_Did you sail across the sun?_

_Did you make it to the Milky Way_

_To see the lights all faded,_

_And that heaven is overrated?_

_Tell me,_

_Did you fall for a shooting star?_

_One without a permanent scar?_

_And did you miss me while you were_

_Looking for yourself out there?_

* * *

There were a thousand questions that Robbie would ask Cat; how was her trip to New York? Did she miss California? Did she miss _him? _

He knew it was wishful thinking; he couldn't possible hope that Cat Valentine, who could have any guy she pleased, save for that jerk who only cared about her hair, would actually miss him more than anyone else! She had family, and friends, and her pets! Maybe even a love interest! Where would he rank among these?

_Nowhere._

* * *

Jade wanted with all her heart to tell him; that he's amazing, that she wants him back, that she doesn't know where she'd be without him.

_Well, I guess here, _she contradicted herself unwittingly. _But is this where I want to be? Alone, when all I can think about is him? _In all honesty, he did haunt her thoughts more than he should have. She thought of him when she saw rottweilers, when she met a British man with a bad accent; even when she drank lemonade! She thought he was amazing, perfect, beautiful, annoying, a jerk, everything and nothing. But who was she to him?

_No one._

* * *

Andre wished he could interrupt her as she spoke, to tell her everything he had held back for the past year; that she's his perfect half, that he needed to be more than her friend, but to be someone that mattered more to her. That he wanted to be her one and only, her first and last, her best and worst.

But what could he _really_ tell her?

_Nothing._

* * *

_And now she's back from that soul vacation_

_Chasing her way through the constellation_

_Hey, hey..._

* * *

Beck rolled over again, tossing and turning as he tried to let the sound of crickets outside lull him to sleep. Instead, the sound seemed to ring in his ears and echo around the walls of the RV, until he decided he had to get up and get some air. It was getting late, and if he didn't sleep soon he would be a drag tomorrow. Again.

It seemed like, ever since he'd broken up with Jade, seeing her talk to other guys and hang out with other people, laugh and smile and forget he existed, he'd become an awful tired guy. As if she was the sun and it wasn't truly morning without her.

Sure, they were broken up. He still hated how possessive and jealous she had gotten, how rude she was to Tori and how ruthless she was in an argument. But her spirit, the fire inside of her, was the reason he loved her. Sure, like all people, she had her flaws. She was angry and loud and secretive and very insecure, but that didn't make him love her any less.

But somehow, she got away from him. He'd unwittingly let her go, and now he couldn't get her back.

And it killed him inside to see her house across the street; to see the lights go on, then off. To see her talk on the phone with the window open, as if she hadn't a care in the world. To see her shut the window every night without a glance at the old RV that housed the guy who couldn't get over her.

* * *

_He checks out Mozart while he does Tae-bo_

_Reminds me that there's room to grow_

_Hey, hey..._

* * *

Tori tried to preoccupy herself with putting things away in her locker, but she couldn't ignore the sight of Andre in the corner of her eye. She squeezed her eyes shut in a tight blink and opened them, forcing herself to stare into her locker. What had she been doing, anyway?

She rolled her eyes and slammed the locker shut, ignoring stares from fellow students. Why did he _do_ this to her? If he had to ask out a girl, why didn't he just do it somewhere else? It was driving her crazy!

She could hear him around the corner, chatting it up with "Kathy". He went on about his music, talking about all his achievements and his self-composed music. She had to admit, what he said was impressive, but who cared, anyway? The brat probably only cared about his lips.

This jealousy wasn't like her. At least, it wasn't supposed to be. She did act like that about Danny, tearing her relationship with Cat into a few pieces. What if she did the same thing with Andre?

That could _not_ happen! She would not ruin their friendship, too!

* * *

_Now that she's back in the atmosphere_

_I'm afraid that she might think of me as_

_Plain ol' Jane_

_Told a story about a man _

_Who was too afraid to fly, so he never did land..._

* * *

Cat ran into Robbie's embrace, squealing and giggling. "Robbie! I'm so glad to see you!"

"Me too, Cat!" Robbie agreed, smiling widely as she squeezed him tightly.

She pulled away enough to look into his eyes. "Why would you miss yourself? You're right here!"

He laughed and pulled her back into a hug. "I meant that I missed you."

She hugged him around his neck until he found it hard to breathe, but he didn't mind. "I missed you too!" She kissed his cheek and pulled away, bouncing in excitement. But when she looked around, her smile fell slightly. "Where's everybody else?"

This slightly hurt his feelings. Wasn't he enough? Had she been expecting more? He'd kind of expected her to just be happy to see him, which might've been a mistake. Why would she come back from New York City, an amazing place, to spend time with _him._ He wasn't exactly the most exciting person in the world. But he forced the thoughts away and just settled for the fact that she was back.

"Um, they were busy. But..." He leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Don't tell anyone, but I heard they're planning a surprise at _your house,_" he informed her, trying to cheer her up. She instantly beamed.

"Aww, how exciting!" Cat squeaked, grinning from ear to ear.

Robbie stared at her for a moment and wondered what he wouldn't do for her. He couldn't think of much.

* * *

_Tell me,_

_Did the wind sweep you off your feet?_

_Did you finally get the chance to dance_

_Along the light of day,_

_And head back to the Milky Way?_

_Tell me,_

_Did Venus blow your mind?_

_Was it everything you wanted to find?_

_And did you miss me while you were_

_Looking for yourself out there?_

* * *

There were times Beck could remember that he would change in a heartbeat.

When he'd met Jade?

_No. _

When he'd taken her back?

_Not at all. _

It would have to be that evening on "The Worst Couple", where they'd fought enough to set fire to their relationship. They'd acted on such blind, white-hot anger that they didn't realize they were tearing apart everything they'd built together for two years. He would have never disrespected her, and maybe he could have stopped her, too. He would have taken her aside and apologized, reasoned with her, calmed her down. Told her that he loved her. When was the last time he did that, anyway?

* * *

_Can you imagine no_

_Love, pride, deep-fried chicken?_

_Your best friend always stickin' up for you_

_Even when I knew you were wrong_

* * *

When Tori looked back on her friendship with Andre, part of her hated that she'd built it so strong to want to tear it down by asking him out. But another part of her wanted to keep the memories and build onto it, making a much stronger relationship. She wanted to express her feelings for him, but how could she with all the perfect times in the way?

What about the time that they'd met? They hadn't set any rules when they talked on the patio of the Vega household. They never decided to be best friends and stick themselves right in the middle of the friend zone. She hadn't asked for that! She had wanted so much more.

But time went by and she realized that maybe a friendship was what she needed. And she did need that, at the time. But unwittingly, she pinned them both into a hole they couldn't get out of.

But he was so funny and nice, and smart, too. How could she risk losing that when there was a slim chance of progressing into... love?

* * *

_Can you imagine no_

_First dance, freeze-dried romance?_

_Five-hour phone conversation_

_The best soy latte you have ever had..._

_And me?_

* * *

And as Robbie drove Cat home that evening, the windows down, Drops of Jupiter blaring in over the sound of wind blowing their hair back, he wondered when he'd first decided he loved Cat Valentine. He glanced over at her and saw her smile at him; that beautiful, wide smile. Was it the first time he saw her smile? It must have been.

Maybe it was when she'd kissed him that he realized. Throughout their childhood as best friends, he'd known he loved her more than as a friend, but he hadn't fully realized it until that moment. That moment when he was so sure that he was in love with Trina Vega, when he knew he couldn't mistake love in a kiss, when he _swore_ he knew what love was and that he felt it for her. That moment when she kissed him, and showed him that he was all wrong. _That _was what love felt like. That was real, whether they said it or not.

That was one of the best memories he had. And even if she was a hard catch, or hard-to-get, or just didn't get it, he knew she was worth it. She was worth the chase.

* * *

_Tell me,_

_Did the wind sweep you off your feet?_

_Did you finally get the chance to dance_

_Along the light of day,_

_And head back to the Milky Way?_

_Tell me,_

_Did you fall for a shooting star?_

_One without a permanent scar?_

_And did you miss me while you were_

_Looking for yourself out there?_

;*"*"*"*"*;

_**What did you think? I don't think it was my best, but I really did enjoy writing it. Let me know what you think and REVIEW!**_

_**Thanks for reading!**_

_****~Songbird341~****_


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